Watch-barrel.



No. 872,994. PATLNTLD DEG. s, 1907. L. A. FALLER.

WATCH BARREL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS ALBERT FALLER, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO WEBSTER C.BALL.

WATCH-B ARREL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907'.

Application filed October 25. 1906. Serial No. 340.429.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEwis ALBERT FALLER, a citizen of the United States,resident of Nashville, county of Davidson, and State of Tennessee, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in I/Vatch- Barrels, of which thefollowing is a specification, the principle of the invention beingherein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applyingthat principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to improvements in time keeping instruments and hasparticular regard to the manner of mounting the main springs of watchesand to the construction of the winding mechanism for such springs.

The object of such invention is to entirely relieve the main or drivingarbor' and its bearings of the strain incidental tol winding up suchmain spring where the present construction obtaiiis as also to do awaywith the unequal end thrusts in such arbors bearings occasioned by thedishing of the spring first on the one side then on the other, as ituncoils in the process of ruiming the watch.

To the accomplishment of these and other related objects, my inventionconsists of means hereinafter fully described and specifically set forthin the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means,however, constituting butV one of various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing, Figure l represents a transverse cross sectionof a watch movement taken on the axis of the main or driving arbol' ofsuch movement; and Fig. 2, is a plan view of a bridge plate and windingarbor mounted therein which form features of my invention.

The refinements of modern watch and chronometer making, aside fromattempting the construction of balance mechanism that will be unaffectedby temperature changes, have been largely concerned with the eliminationof friction, so far as that is possible, in the numerous pivotalbearings found in the watch movement. To this end j eweled bearings havebeen from time to time introduced at additional points as is well knownby those familiar with the art. It has, however, long been recognizedthat one troublesome source of variation in the rate of running of thewatch mechanism is not removed by mere perfection of the bearings. ihave rel'- erence to the construction of the watch barrel orinainspring-winding mechanism whereby the dishing or humping action ofthe spring, such as is always more or less and quite irregularlypresent, is allowed to produce a variable end thrust in the bearings ofthe driving arbor. The harmful effects of this element of friction arein fact, so great as to effectually nullify any good otherwise securedby jeweliiig the bearings in question. Indeed, candid watch makers havealways recognized that the superior merits of a nineteen or higherjeweled movement are open to serious question on this account.

In my invention I seek to provide, in the first place, an independentarbor and bearing to sustain the strain accompanying the winding of theinaiiispring which is always severe owing to the necessarily irregularand more or less jerky actuation of the winding gear whether turned bykey or stem winding mechanism. By this construction I am enabled in thesecond place, to entirely inclose the main-spring in the barrel,laterally, as well as peripherally. Thus the dishing of such spring hasno more harmful eilect than that accompanying the slight frictionbetween tlie edges of its coils and the walls of the barrel; it exertsno action whatever directly upon the driving arbor.

The construction whereby I attain the several results above outlinedquite clearly appears in Fig. l of the drawing. In such figure themovement foundation, shown in broken section only, is assumed to be thatcharacterizing a full plate watch. The pillar plate of this movementfoundation is designated by A. Above this, on suitable pillars (notshown), is supported the top plate A. In the particular movement herechosen for the purpose of illustration, an aperture is formed in the topplate into which the barrel B of the main spring winding mechanism isdesigned to project. Plate Al rests immediately upon top plate A and. sois in effect integral therewith, the object of this construction beingto render the barrel and main-spring winding mechanism accessiblewithout removing the entire top plate. This however, is not a feature ofmy present invention and is merely alluded to in order to fully explainthe structure shown. As an element of such invention, I would firstdirect attention to a bridge plate A3 sup- A and over the recess a insuch pillar plate that is designed to receive the winding or ratchetwheel C of the winding mechanism. In such bridge plate A3, I rotatablymount a hollow winding arbor C, formed on its upper end with a collet cof the form shown in the cross sectional view Fig. 1, and on its lowerend with a left-hand screw-thread. A ratchet or winding wheel C isthreaded upon such lower end; and, as will be evident, this wheeltogether with collet c serves to retain the hollow arbor in bridge plateA3 as shown in the figure in question g the winding wheel and collet,however, are so positioned on the arbor as to allow the latter a limitedamount of endwise movement in its bearing in the bridge plate. The trainor other mechanism whereby motion is communicated to winding wheel C isnot shown although the pawl c, that retains such wheel against rotationin the reverse direction, appears in the lower left-hand corner of Fig.1.

Collet c of hollow arbor C is provided on its periphery with means ofany approved form for engaging the inner end of the main spring 5 suchmeans preferably consist as here shown, in a centrally locatedprojection c2 formed by cutting away a portion of the peripheral surfaceof the collet, the spring being formed near its end with an aperture b2adapted to' fit over such projection. The outer end of the spring,designated by b3, is of the T-shape clearly shown in Fig. 1 and isattached to the aforementioned barrel B, which barrel, as has beenindicated, is formed so as to laterally inclose the spring. The two sidemembers '1) b of the barrel, being made in effect an integral structure,enable me to utilize the superior T or double-end brace method ofengagement for securing the outer end of the spring thereto. In actualconstruction, of course, one side member of the barrel, here member b,is made detachable to admit of the introduction and removal of thespring; this side member is furthermore formed at its center with anaperture sufficiently large to permit of the ready introductiontherethrough of collet c on winding arbor C. The other sidemember of thebarrel is mounted upon the main or driving arbor B so as to besubstantially integral therewith and for the purpose of this descriptionis in fact so shown.

Main or driving arbor B lies within hollow winding arbor C but ismounted at each end entirely independently thereof in the movementfoundation; the lower end being journaled in a suitable bearing inpillar plate A and the upper end in top plate A, or what amounts to thesame thing in the section A2, of such top plate that has been alreadymentioned as lying over the aperture in such top plate in which isreceived the upper portion of the barrel. The bearings in pillar plate Aand top plate A in which the ends of arbor BEare journaled arepreferably jeweled in the usual manner. Such arbor, of course, inaddition to bearing the barrel B has mounted upon it the great wheel B2whereby the motion imparted to such barrel and arbor by the main springis communicated to the driving train of the watch movement, and, as ispreferably the construction such great wheel is here shown as integralwith the main spring barrel.

Having thus described in sufficient detail an approved form of watchmovement construction embodying my invention7 it will not be necessaryto indicate more than in a brief fashion by way of summary the manner ofoperation of the parts involved, such opertion being fairly evident fromthe description. In winding the watch it will be evident that all thestrain incidental to such operation will be borne by winding arbor C andthe bearing in bridge plate A3 wherein it is journaled. None of thisstrain whatever is received by the main arbor B, for, while the latterlies within the winding arbor, it will be remembered that it isjournaled wholly independently thereof. Furthermore, and it is to thisthat I desire to call particular attention, any lateral movement of thespring incidental to its uncoiling after being thus wound reacts againstthe fiXed walls of the barrel B whereby itV is laterally contained. Suchside-walls of the barrel being a part of the barrel structure, and notas heretofore mounted one on the main arbor and the other on the windingarbor, are unaffected by such movement on the part of the spring andthere is hence no end thrust in the bearings of main or driving arbor B.The latter is thus permitted to rotate unaffected entirely by thehumping action of the spring, and this cause of inaccurate timekeepingon the part of the instrument successfully eliminated. It should be alsonoted that by confining the spring in this manner in a closed barrel thedanger of broken jewels and distorted parts, that now accompanies thebreaking of a mainspring, is done away. Furthermore it will be seen thatby reason of the construction above set forth whereby the hollow windingarbor is wholly supported in the third or bridge plate A3, being securedthereto as well, by winding wheel C acting in conjunction with thecollet c on the upper end of said arbor, the whole device, windingarbor, main arbor, and barrel is rendered removable from the watch alongwith said bridge plate. Inasmuch as the winding mechanism of the watchis perhaps the one most frequently requiring repair and attention, theadvantage of this construction whereby the whole of the mechanism inquestion can be bodily removed from the watch movement for the purposeof examination and repair will be readily appreciated.

Having thus described my invention in detail, that which I particularlypoint out and distinctly claim, is

1. In a watch, the combination with the pillar plate and top plate ofsuch watch, of a third plate mounted upon said pillar plate between thesame and said top plate, a hollow winding arbor journaled intermediatelybetween its ends in said third plate and wholly supported thereby, awinding wheel mounted upon the lower end of said winding arbor and lyingbetween said pillar and third plates, a main arbor lying within saidwind.- ing arbor and having its ends journaled in said pillar and topplates respectively, a barrel and a great wheel borne by said mainarbor, and a main spring attached at its inner end to said winding arborand at its outer end to said drum, said winding arbor, main arbor andbarrel being removable from the watch along with said third plate,substanti ally as described.

2. In a watch, the combination with the pillar plate and top plate olsaid watch, said pillar plate having a recess on its upper side, of athird plate mounted upon said pillar plate and bridging such recess, ahollow winding arbor iournaled intermediately be- Itween its ends insaid bridge plate and wholly supported thereby, a winding wheel screw#threaded upon the lower end of saidv winding arbor and lying in suchrecess, a main arbor lying within said winding arbor and having its endsjournaled in said pillar and top plates respectively, a barrel and agreat wheel borne by said main arbor, and a main spring attached at itsinner end to the upper end of said winding arbor and at its outer end tosaid drum, said winding arbor, main arbor and barrel being removableAfrom the watch along with said bridge plate, substantially asdescribed. y

3. In a lull plate watch, the combination with the pillar plate and topplate of such watch, said pillar plate having a recess on its upperside, ol' a third plate bridgingI such recess, a hollow winding arborjournaled intermediately between its ends in said bridge plate andwholly supported thereby, a winding wheel screw-threaded upon the lowerend of said winding arbor and lying in such recess, a main arbor lyingwithin said winding arbor and having its ends journaled in said pillarand top plates respectively, a barrel integral with said main arbor,said barrel being open on one side, a main spring attached at its innerend to the upper end of said winding arbor and at its outer end to saidbarrel, and a detachable member adapted to close the open side of saidbarrel to wholly inclose said spring therein, said winding arbor, mainarbor and barrel being removable frein the watch along with said thirdplate, substantially as described.

4. In a lull plate watch, the combination with the pillar plate and topplate of such watch, said pillar plate having a recess on its upperside, of a third plate bridging such recess, a hollow winding arborjournaled intermediately of its ends in said bridge plate, the upper endthereof being formed with a collet, a winding wheel screw-threaded uponthe lower end of said winding arbor said wheel lying in such recess andserving in conjunction with such collet to secure said winding arbor tosaid bridge plate, a main arbor lying within said winding arbor andhaving its ends journaled in said pillar and top plates respectively, abarrel integral with said main arbor the side of said barrel disposedtoward said bridge plate being open, a great wheel integral with saidbarrel, a main spring attached at its inner end to the upper end o'lsaid winding arbor and at its outer end to said barrel, and a detachableplate adapted to close the open side ot said barrel to wholly inclosesaid spring therein, said winding arbor, main arbor and barrel beingremovable from the watch along with said third plate, substantially asdescribed.

Signed by me, this 15th day of October,

LEVIS ALBERT FALLER. Attested by- J. W. DUTTON, CORDELIA CUzzoR'r.

